THE ANCIENT TAOIST PRINCIPLE OF RECIPROCITY
IF YOU DO ME A FAVOR, I WILL RETURN A GREATER FAVOR TO YOU BUT IF YOU HURT ME, I WILL NOT OFFER THE OTHER CHEEK. IF YOU INSULT ME, I WILL PUNCH YOU; IF YOU PUNCH ME, I WILL BREAK YOUR ARM; IF YOU BREAK MY ARM, I WILL BREAK YOUR LEG; AND IF YOU BREAK MY LEG, I WILL PUT YOU IN A COFFIN

The TAO Gesture （道指） is the most important Taoist Hand Sign / Finger Gesture in Taoism. It represents the TAO. It is most widely used finger gestures during all kinds of Taoist Rituals.

While conducting Taoist Ritual / Sorcery, Taoist Priests /Masters / Sorcerers often recite incantations with his mouth, making Hand Gestures with his hands and fingers, and Pacing the Big Dipper (步罡踏斗) with his feet.

Taoist Priests /Masters / Sorcerers make appropriate Finger Gestures when they hold the following rituals:

Reading Daoist scriptures

Reciting Incantations

Drawing and Empowering Talismans

Exorcism

Sorcery

Taoist Rituals

Spirit Medium Possessions

Consecrating Deity Statues

Pacing the Big Dipper

Setting Up Altars

Invoking The Divine Generals

In the course of the development of Taoism, Taoists changed and corrected the original Finger Gestures, basing themselves on the Daoist Pantheon ( 神譜 - Shen Pu ) and theories of Taoist skills, so that finger gesture making became a comprehensive system.

Taoist Finger Gestures have single hand patterns and also double hands patterns. The number of Finger Gestures designed for different objectives and for different rituals is hard to calculate, because there are so many kinds of magical skills for refinement and salvation as well as for curing illness, dispelling evil, and praying for avoiding disasters.

There are many sects / lineages of Taoism / Chinese Sorcery. Many of these Sects / Lineages share the same Finger Gestures but have different names, and have same names but different Finger Gestures.

The Sword Gesture (剑指)

Sword Gesture is used for casting spells, draw talismans on the air and water, consecrating / empowering talismans

The San Qing Gesture (三清指)San Qing Gesture is used to hold a cup of water, holding Taoist Stamping Seals, pressing on the head of a victim during exorcism , etc.

The 5 Thunders Gesture (五雷指)

Five Thunders Gesture is often used during exorcism, getting rid of evils

The Jin Gang Gesture （金刚指）

Jin Gang Gesture is often used for consecrating / empowering Taoist Talismans

Important Note: There is consultation fee and ritual service charge when You seek help. The consultation fee & service charge are quite expensive and not anybody can afford it, or interested to pay for it. Kindly ask how much is the consultation service and ritual service fee when You seek help.